US businesses worry about a prolonged shutdown

“A lot of people are now just feeling like they are getting back on their feet,” he said. “It seems like every time we get back to somewhat normal, we get some type of squabble in Washington that brings back to a head.”

Yet others express confidence that the shutdown will cause little pain beyond the Washington area, with its hub of government workers and federal contractors.

Earlier this year, when across-the-board government spending cuts kicked in, some worried that the cuts would derail the U.S. economy, noted Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Corp.‘s CEO in North America.

“Basically, they were told that when you wake up tomorrow, the Earth is going to stop spinning,” Lentz said. “For the most part, the Earth didn’t stop. And I think that’s how they view this again.”